London 2012 ends with singalong party

The London 2012 Games bade farewell Sunday with a giant singalong party with dozens of music greats, including Queen, Take That and the Spice Girls getting the Olympic Stadium rocking underneath a blaze of fireworks.

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London 2012 ends with singalong party

LONDON: AFP  The London 2012 Games bade farewell Sunday with a giant singalong party, bringing the curtain down in spectacular style on an Olympics that has radiated the feelgood factor throughout.

The closing ceremony, entitled "A Symphony of British Music", was a celebration of Britain's pop prowess, with Queen, Take That and the Spice Girls getting the Olympic Stadium rocking underneath a blaze of fireworks.

Thousands of athletes who have entertained the world during the London Games craned to take pictures of George Michael and Fatboy Slim performing at the centre of a giant stage in the shape of Britain's Union Jack flag.

Meanwhile the pumped-up 80,000-strong crowd got into the party atmosphere, singing along in full voice as waves of colour swept around the bowl on the pixel screens in front of each seat.

The Olympic flame was slowly extinguished with tangible sadness in the stadium, but the feeling lasted only seconds before legendary rockers The Who blasted the blues away with a final salvo of thunderous hard rock and dazzling pyrotechnics.

"After 16 days of competition, we wanted to host a celebration of all that's good about London, British people, our music and our culture," Kim Gavin, the show's artistic director, said beforehand.

More than 300 million people would be watching around the world, the audience were told.

The three-hour spectacle began with New Year-style Big Ben chimes counting down to 9:00pm (2000 GMT).

In his biggest role to date, 27-year-old Prince Harry, third in line to the throne, represented Queen Elizabeth II at the show.

1980s band Madness kicked off the mass singalong with their hit "Our House", before The Kinks' frontman Ray Davies then played his London love song "Waterloo Sunset" with the crowd on backing vocals.

While a chosen athlete carried each national flag into the stadium, the competitors streamed in as one, some wearing their medals and others taking souvenir pictures.

There was one final well-respected medal ceremony – that for Sunday's men's marathon, won by Uganda's Stephen Kiprotich.

A hallmark of the London Games has been the enthusiastic warmth shown to athletes regardless of nationality.

bid farewell – to say goodbye ล่ำลา, กล่าวลา, ลาจาก
bring the curtain down – to end ปิดฉาก
spectacular – a large and impressive public event or performance  การแสดงหรือภาพที่น่าตื่นเต้น,ประทับใจ
radiate – to spread out in all directions from a central point กระจายออกจากจุดศูนย์กลาง
feelgood factor – something which creates positive (good) feelings
entitled – given the title (name) ตั้งชื่อ
symphony – a long piece of classical music played by an orchestra ดนตรีวงใหญ่, ดนตรีประสานเสียงวงใหญ่
prowess – great skill at doing something ความสามารถยอดเยี่ยม
blaze – a very bright show of lights or colour; an impressive or noticeable show of something  สิ่งที่ส่องแสงจ้า
crane – to lean or stretch over something in order to see something better; to stretch your neck ชะเง้อ
translucent – clear enough for light to pass through but not completely clear; allowing light to pass through but not transparent ที่ให้แสงผ่านได้น้อย
octopus – a sea animal with a soft round body and eight long arms called tentacles  ปลาหมึกยักษ์
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
pumped-up – very excited ตื่นเต้นมาก
atmosphere – the mood or feeling that exists in a place บรรยากาศ
wave – a line of something that moves across an area คลื่น
swept (past form sweep) –moved quickly through an area;  เคลื่อนไปอย่างรวดเร็ว,
pixel screen – digital screen
extinguish – to put out a fire ดับไฟ
tangible – real or not imaginary; able to be shown, touched or experienced ชัดเจน
the blues – feelings of sadness ความเศร้า
salvo – a sudden happening; the act of many things happening at the same time  การระดม
thunderous – very loud ดังสนั่น,มีเสียงกังวาน
dazzling – extremely impressive น่าประหลาดใจ, น่าพิศวง, น่าอัศจรรย์
pyrotechnics – fireworks การเล่นดอกไม้เพลิง
spectacle – an exciting and impressive public event or performance; an unusual, exciting, or impressive event or sight การแสดงต่อหน้าสาธารณชน,การแสดง
chime – a ringing sound, especially one that is made by a bell  เสียงระฆัง
role – the position or purpose that someone or something has in a situation, organisation, society or relationship บทบาท
the throne – the monarchy สถาบันกษัตริย์
backing – supporting ให้การสนับสนุน
vocal – the part of a piece of music that is sung, rather than played on a musical instrument เสียงร้องในเพลง
catwalk – the long stage that models walk on during a fashion show พื้นที่ยกสูงขึ้นเป็นทางยาวและแคบ (สำหรับนางแบบเดินแบบ)
stream in – to enter a place in large numbers แห่กันเข้ามา
souvenir – something from a holiday or at a special event to remind you later of being there ของที่ระลึก
respected – admired by many people for your qualities or achievements   ที่เคารพ
hallmark – a feature or quality that is typical of somebody/something ลักษณะที่เด่น
enthusiastic – very interested in something or excited about it  อย่างสนใจ กระตือรือร้น
warmth – a kind and friendly quality in someone or something ความอบอุ่น
regardless – despite; not being affected by something
nationality – a group of people who have the same race, language, or culture สัญชาติ